grace grits and gardening

ramblings from an arkansas farm girl

  • Home
  • Bio
  • Backyard Phenology
  • Publishing
  • SHOP!
  • Garden
  • Reading & Books
  • Sunday Letter

Diary of a Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar

May 8, 2022 By Talya Tate Boerner

Spicebush Swallowtail Caterpillar

Pour yourself a cup of coffee and prepare to fall in love again. I’ve been sooooo excited to share my diary of a certain cute spicebush swallowtail caterpillar. If you followed my butterfly stories last summer, you might remember that I was a bit obsessed with raising butterflies on the back porch. I successfully released 50 butterflies—44 monarchs and 6 eastern black swallowtails.

And, at the end of the season, after the last monarch had headed to Mexico where they hibernate for winter, two spicebush swallowtail chrysalises lagged behind, still in the chrysalis stage.

So here’s my diary of a spicebush swallowtail caterpillar. Two caterpillars, actually.

Continue Reading

Valentine’s Day Gifts for the Nature Lover

February 9, 2022 By Talya Tate Boerner

Valentine's Day Gifts for the Nature Lover

The post contains affiliate links. I may earn commissions on purchases.

Today I’ve rounded up a few unique Valentine’s Day gifts for the nature lover in your life. Are YOU the nature lover in your life? Ha—nothing wrong with buying yourself a neat sweet treat.

These gifts will do your heart good, both buying and gifting them. And many of these gifts will keep on giving.

Yes, with Valentine’s Day only five days away, I should have posted this earlier. Oh well. Gift-giving is a good thing no matter the day.

Continue Reading

Skipping Winter?

December 28, 2021 By Talya Tate Boerner

skipping winterAfter last year’s major whammy of a winter, we seem to be skipping winter altogether here in Arkansas. One thing’s for sure—our weather is becoming more and more extreme. I hope that by calling out this crazy idea of skipping winter, Ole Man Winter will straighten himself out, and we will indeed have more seasonable weather in January.

The plants and animals depend on it.

We all do.Continue Reading

« Previous Page
Next Page »


Hi! I'm Talya Tate Boerner. Writer, Reader, Arkansas Master Naturalist / Master Gardener, Author of:

THE ACCIDENTAL SALVATION OF GRACIE LEE (2016)

GENE, EVERYWHERE: a life-changing visit from my father-in-law (2020)

BERNICE RUNS AWAY (2022)

THE THIRD ACT OF THEO GRUENE (2025)

Recent Ramblings:

  • Sunday Letter: September 6, 2026
  • Why a Rainy Day Is the Best Time to Visit a Botanical Garden
  • Happy Birthday, Theo Gruene!
  • Sunday Letter~ 05.17.26
  • Sunday Letter: 03.29.26

Novels:

Coloring Books:

Fiction-Themed Coloring Books

Backyard Phenology:

Children’s Nature Book:

Never miss a blog post! Subscribe via email:

Looking for something?

Categories

All the Things!

A to Z April Blog Challenge Autumn BAT Book Reviews childhood Christmas creative writing prompt Dallas Desserts Fall Fayetteville Food Gracie Lee Halloween Hemingway-Pfeiffer holiday recipes home humor Johnson Family Keiser Lake Norfork Lucy and Annabelle Mississippi County Mississippi Delta Monarch butterflies Munger Place Nana nature Northeast Arkansas Northwest Arkansas Osceola poem Reading Schnauzer simple living simple things spring spring gardening Summer Talya Tate Boerner novel Thanksgiving The Accidental Salvation of Gracie Lee Thomas Tate Winter Wordless Wednesday

Food. Farm. Garden. Life.

THANKS FOR READING!

All content and photos Copyright Grace, Grits and Gardening © 2026 · Web Hosting By StrataByte